NFC Jewelry + Mobile Apps = Cross-Platform Storytelling

April 24, 2013 by

Typically, when we refer to x-platform storytelling, we’re thinking about a story that spans multiple screens.

But, we’re venturing into a slightly different space to extend the definition of “x-platform” (cross-platform) – With a line of NFC jewelry for children (based on a character; and designed to be integrated within real-world “play”) with an NFC (near field communication) tag, that leads to a speech-based daily mobile app.

Our children’s apps (produced through our contentAI studios unit) do exceptionally well – with some months resulting in tens of thousands of Users.  But, we want don’t want kids to live solely with their eyes glued to digital screens – So, we have designed the first iterations of a line of jewelry that includes NFC.

How the heck are iPhone User’s going to access the app?

Well, unfortunately, iPhone Users can’t get that “magical” tap experience that NFC offers, but, they can save a URL as a “favorite” and access the app – But, the UI/UX with NFC is what we think adds real value to the user engagement – especially, with the youngest of early-adopters – Kids.

The idea of intuitively linking objects to mobile applications via NFC is an area we are deeply focused.  People still really like “things,” stuff they can look at and touch – extending the story from an object to a mobile app is an obvious next step for us.  Plus, we’ve gotten a whole new range of experiences in manufacturing and production of “things,” which has been a nice evolution.

Links and updates will be posted soon.

Filed Under: 2nd Screen, conversational mobile entertainment, nfc Tagged With: , , , , ,

contentAI studios – An Interactive Scene Engine

June 4, 2012 by

Introducing our contentAI studios platform to an ad agency executive over the weekend, we spent a fair bit of time “defining” the applications that are built as “interactive scenes.”

Interestingly, that phrase is not one we’d used before, but, it helped (let’s call him “Bob”) Bob quickly understand the contentAI platform in relation to his other work.

We often talk about “motivated characters” or “virtual characters,” but, what we really do is create “scenes” that both the virtual character and the End User play-out.

So, are we really a “scene engine?”

Yes, in part.

But, we’re still a “virtual character” engine as well.

There are both simple and complex avenues to apply our platform. We think of “character only” as being akin to chatbots who access a database of deep information via Natural Language Processing.

But, our interactive scenes are 3-dimensional, including depth (same as “character” – deep data and knowledge), coupled with width (alternative paths) and length (all “scenes” have a beginning, middle and end)

I suspect we’ll start using “interactive scene engine” in some of our description phrasing more frequently. It seems easier to grasp than “motivated characters.”

Filed Under: 2nd Screen, converged media, conversational mobile entertainment, interactive story Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The MPAA Says, “Get Connected.”

April 25, 2012 by

The MPAA are traditionally behind-the-curve (let’s say, “historically” on many issues).

So it was interesting to see this statement from their CEO, Chris Dodd:

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/piracy/mpaa-ceo-hollywood-must-get-connected-27074

“Our business has become much more than simply making a great movie and inviting our customers to a theater,” Dodd said. “This new age of the connected consumer is here, and so we must adapt.”

Driving more movie attendance through deeper audience connections with story and character (from their 2nd Screens) is our favorite topic.

Now, the issue for “Hollywood” really focuses on the Unions and their abilities to adapt to incorporate Talent (Writers, Directors, Actors) across multiple screens beyond “marketing” spends, but where it’s inherent to the Production and story itself.

Hollywood studios must embrace younger moviegoers on their turf — through connected devices …— former Sen. Chris Dodd, CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, told an industry gathering.

OK, sounds good.  Now, let’s start extending story and character to the 2nd Screen in a format that is intuitive and natural.

Filed Under: 2nd Screen, converged media, conversational mobile entertainment Tagged With: , , ,

2nd Screen Apps & A New Mindset

April 24, 2012 by

Succinct article from RAI on the need for sychronized 2nd Screen Apps and a “new mindset” from broadcasters…this is a major focus for zyntroPICS and our contentAI platform, where the ability to “extend story” across screens was the raison d’etre for building the platform.

Of course, we see that that “new mindset” needs to begin with writers, directors and producers — both from long-form, short-form and ad-content.

http://www.v-net.tv/broadcasters-need-second-screen-apps-and-a-new-mindset/

Nice wrap up in the article about the obvious questions:

What can third-party apps provide that a broadcaster cannot?; What can programme owners/originators provide that third-parties cannot?; and What is the market for synchronised advertising, and who gets the money?

Filed Under: 2nd Screen, converged media, conversational mobile entertainment, interactive story, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Our “My Santa Talk” Featured on INTEL’s AppUp Store

December 13, 2011 by

Congrats to our contentAI and MySantaTalk team. . .INTEL’s AppUP store has the “My Santa Talk” interactive chat with Santa on it’s featured banner page…you know, up there with Angry Birds…

INTEL’S appUP (Windows 32 & 64)**
http://www.appup.com/applications/applications-My+Santa+Talk

Filed Under: conversational mobile entertainment, interactive story Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Personalizing Mobile Experiences – GPS and Sensors Need Not Apply

August 11, 2011 by

Terrific post over @paidcontent today:

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-mobile-advertising-personalized-ads-coupons-score-with-users/

Highlight:

According to a new survey, it’s not location-relevant advertising that is most valued by mobile consumers; it’s mobile ads that are personalized to a users’ tastes.

So, let’s look at our http://contentAI.com Mobile Retail demo with a virtual clerk.  In a couple of quick messages, the Brand derives market research data and the User is delivered a personalized mobile coupon specific to their needs that day, at that place, at that time.  All without GPS, accelerometers or Ouiji Boards.

Just ask them.

Filed Under: conversational mobile entertainment Tagged With: , , , , ,

Vagueness and Precision in Interactive Narrative

August 2, 2011 by

“Precision oftentimes kills the ability of the learner to discover multiple real-life applications.”

There have been a couple of follow up blog posts to the WIRED article entitled: IN PRAISE OF VAGUENESS.

One notable blog post is here:  VAGUE STORIES HELP LEARNERS DISCOVER.

This is very consistent with the responses we’re receiving from ESL teachers that note how our ESL conversational simulations allow vague and varied responses — they don’t encourage precision and fixed responses — they encourage conversational exploration.  We allow the vague. 

Please stop by our http://ESLai.com unit and try out the simulation/stories developed with the contentAI engine. 

The articles are worth reading, here’s another quote. . .

“Sometimes, precision is dangerous, a closed door keeping us from imagining new possibilities. Vagueness is that door flung wide open, a reminder that we don’t yet know the answer, that we might still get better, that we have yet to fail.”

Does this same “wide open door” deepen user engagement for mobile marketing and entertainment applications?

We’re guessing, “yes.”

Filed Under: conversational mobile entertainment, ESLai.com Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

QR Leads to AR’ish Experience without AR – Nice Mobile Campaign

July 29, 2011 by

This was an interesting post from @RickMathieson over at:

http://mathieson.typepad.com/genwow/2011/07/trident-lates-to-use-qr-talking-heads-video.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+GenerationWow+%28Generation+Wow%29

Showing a Trident print ad, with QR, that leads to an “AR’ish” experience without AR.  Near as we can tell, it’s just a video being pushed from the QR scan.

Here’s the Youtube link directly:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X62xhsDqdBQ&feature=player_embedded

What interests us about the format is how we could FIRST engage in a quick “chat” with the end user and then deliver, for example, one of ten, different videos so that it is a more unique and personalized experience for each end user.   It’s a very clever format to expand upon.  Let’s hope we see more uniquely mobile experiences coming off of QR codes (and NFC) rather than shrunken internet experiences.

How this could be applied to our mLearning apps is also interesting to consider – particularly, the ESL apps where we could add a pronunciation feature that would be fun and engaging for the children’s content.

 

Filed Under: converged media, ESLai.com, interactive story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mobile Experiences — Keeping it Personal

June 20, 2011 by

This post from @gomonews caught our attention this morning:

http://www.gomonews.com/your-mobile-device-phone-web-browser%E2%80%A6-secret-lover/

With this line standing out in particular:

“People are experts at “humanizing” their devices, attributing human characteristics, moods and behaviors to their communications devices. Now, it’s nothing like the connection you have with an actual person. You can never feel as close to your phone as you can to a real person. But those feelings are there, even if they’re only faded reflections of the real thing. And I think that advertisers and marketers would be wise to pay heed to that…”

How does this apply to our mobile content and platform?

http://contentAI.com – conversational mobile marketing and entertainment

http://ESLai.com – conversational mobile simulations for mLearning

It’s about 2-way communication that’s PERSONALIZED.  For mBooks, each reading can be personalized by the user.  For mCoupons, a User gets a coupon for their personal needs, not a one size fits all.  For mLearning, it offers the safety of practicing learning with a virtual character in a personalized conversation.

Mobile and personalization = peanut butter and chocolate.  Yum.

Filed Under: converged media, conversational mobile entertainment, ESLai.com, interactive story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Waiting on NFC – Triggering Mobile Entertainment Experiences and Stories

June 8, 2011 by

We spend an extraordinary amount of time discussing “how” people quickly and intuitively access mobile web sites – particularly those that incorporate our interactive narrative experiences.

Much of that discussion is around QR, 2D and image recognition coding – combined with printed URLs (and type recognition options!) – and, even sending SMS messages with URLs.

In the wings, with a building momentum, is NFC.

Most of the discussion is around “payments,” but, already the applications for mobile marketing are emerging:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/new-x-men-film-uses-nfc-advertising

http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/%E2%80%9Cnfc%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-not-always-synonymous-with-mobile-payments-15638/

http://www.nearfieldcommunicationsworld.com/2011/04/28/37158/hotels-com-and-new-york-times-back-nfc-advertising-venture/

While NFC can’t work in the print publications space, it does work when there is near physical proximity and that’s one of it’s pluses — It’s nearly tactile and is a physical gesture that’s simple and could become habitual.  Particularly, if the same physical habit and motion is used for payments, dare we project, this could become a “standard.”

The other theory that’s kicking around is how NFC will improve QR/2D campaigns.

What?

No, really.  NFC mobile marketing campaigns will bring in a whole different creative group and money to this space; and, many hybrid NFC/QR campaigns should emerge from this.  QR (or 2D) campaigns should improve and generate more traffic and awareness.

How does “conversational mobile marketing and entertainment” fit into the picture?

For us, it’s about being a part of intuitive mobile experiences.  2-way conversations (messaging) on phones remains User’s primary, habitual engagement.  If NFC fulfills the role of being the most intuitive format to reach our applications, that’s a good thing all around.

Certainly, as we envision the hypothetical cereal aisle full of children chatting with the characters on  cereal boxes via Mom or Dad’s mobile, NFC is going to make that an easier future to fulfill.

Filed Under: conversational mobile entertainment Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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